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Rauner says he will “work hard” to unify party after primary

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* From Gov. Rauner’s pep talk to supporters today in DeKalb…

Now, nobody likes a primary. I feel bad about it. We’ve got some disagreements. Jim Edgar had a primary opponent in his second election just like I got. It happens. I respect the process. I will work hard to unify us afterwards and find policies we can all agree on to bring us back together. We have got to come together. But we’ve gotta win tomorrow.

OK, but Jim Edgar won his primary race by 50 points: 75-25.

posted by Rich Miller
Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 2:01 am

Comments

Incumbent Governor Dan Walker also had a primary opponent.

Comment by Claud Peppers Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:04 pm
Bye Felicia

Comment by DuPage Bard Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:05 pm
Does he even know what ;unify the party’ means?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:05 pm
===I will work hard to unify us afterwards and find policies we can all agree on to bring us back together. We have got to come together. But we’ve gotta win tomorrow.===

“Long story short…”

Too late, Governor.

Too late.

What you did to Ives, what conservative will support you, even against “Madigan”

Your approval is 30%, you signed HB40, you vetoed the recent gun measure…

You have no constituency, which is why you know… you need the conservatives… or you will more than likely get “Kirked”

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:09 pm
Replace “unify” with “buy”.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:10 pm
===I will work hard to unify us afterwards and find policies we can all agree on to bring us back together. We have got to come together. But we’ve gotta win tomorrow.===

“I don’t want any $&@#% problems” - Bruce Rauner to the formerly known GOP Caucuses

Don’t be fooled. Rauner is a Raunerite.

Rauner has never been any type of Republican… and still is the worst Republican governor in America

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:11 pm
How do you reunite the party when no one can trust your word? Burned too many, too many times.

Comment by wordslinger Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:14 pm
Seems like he may have wanted to convey this message slightly earlier than the day before the election. The GOP wounds are deep and a little sympathy for conservatives might have made him more tolerable tomorrow and possibly later.

Comment by Bobio Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:16 pm
If you vote for Ives tomorrow…

What makes you think Rauner is different tomorrow?

The reason people are voting for Ives is that as a governor, Rauner is the worst Republican one and turn his back on conservatives.

What changes Wednesday?

That’s right. Nothing.

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:17 pm
===I will work hard to unify us afterwards and find policies we can all agree on to bring us back together. We have got to come together. But we’ve gotta win tomorrow.===

Can’t un-sign HB40

Can’t take back misleading Cardinal Cupich…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:27 pm
I have a feeling it’s going to be harder to unify the Dem side.

Republicans have Madigan, what do dems have? Especially if the winner gets less than 35 percent.

Comment by Almost the Weekend Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:32 pm
“Republicans have Madigan, what do dems have?”

That’s funny, how about Rauner?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:38 pm
He feels bad about it? Which part, exactly, does he feel bad about?

Comment by Who else Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:40 pm
“what do dems have?”
Rauner
Trump
Putin

Comment by da dems Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:42 pm
Bruce, you may make Illinois completely blue due to your Raunerism. To think only 4 years of Bruce was enough to absolve the dems of Quinn/Blago.

Comment by Rutro Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:42 pm
Rauner and the GOP can keep running against Madigan.

But the Dems are going to run against the guy who is actually at the top of the GOP ticket.

Comment by Siriusly Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:43 pm
Nope.
Worst Republican governor in the US.
We don’t unite behind dumpster fires.

Comment by VanillaMan Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:53 pm
What party are you going to unify? Your going away party?

Comment by Blue dog dem Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 7:58 pm
Nope. we don’t want Ives either.

Comment by Amalia Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:00 pm
Excited to vote for Bruce tomorrow. Only hoping that JB squeaks by along with Pat Quinn.

Excited to hear the excuses to vote for JB when he is tethered to Quinn, Blago, Madigan and potentially Berrios.

Comment by Me Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:01 pm
===Excited to hear the excuses to vote for JB when he is tethered to Quinn, Blago, Madigan and potentially Berrios.===

Bruce Rauner.

Comment by Ducky LaMoore Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:21 pm
Me-
You better throw in Jimmy Carter and a few others to equal out being tethered to Rauner and Trump in a blue state. Nice try though.

Comment by Redraider Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:23 pm
==Excited to vote for Bruce tomorrow.==

Anyone running on the Republican ticket will be tethered to Rauner. At this stage, Quinn would beat Rauner by a landslide. Rauner has been the worst governor in state history.

Comment by Hottot Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:24 pm
I wonder what JB really thinks about Madigan and Berrios?

IMHO, it would be suicide for a Dem candidate to publicly call for the ouster of the Chairman of the Cook County Dem Party and the Chairman of the State Dem Party. He needs their support, or at least a lack of their animosity to win in November. Remember Blagojevich and Quinn? You buck them and you’re nobody, maybe even in jail like blago. This isn’t a parlor in Winnetka. It’s the mean streets of Chicago and Elgin.

Madigan would rather have Rauner to punch around than a Dem Governor who is out to get Madigan. It’s easy to punch Ives around too. Politics ain’t beanbag and it’s not fought by Marquis of Queensbury rules either.

Hopefully Berrios will get his tomorrow from the voters. If he does, look for his support to melt like an iceberg in Florida. He’s made a lot of enemies. Enemies waiting for him to fall.

Comment by Streamwood Retiree Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:26 pm
Once in a lifetime chance at this time in history to remove an incumbent, the end justifies the means

Comment by Rabid Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:33 pm
Which party?

Comment by Michelle Flaherty Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:42 pm
I was making calls for JB tonight. It must have been a list of independents as there were several people who were voting the republican primary. ALL OF THEM WERE FOR IVES

Comment by Frat boys Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:42 pm
Streamwood Retiree: Not sure I understand your argument about Berrios. Nobody dislikes Joe. In fact, Joe’s greatest weakness as a political leader is that no one fears him. In fact, Joe is merely a figurehead with the county party. Preckwinkle is actually in charge except when it comes to things that Madigan really cares about.

Comment by TominChicago Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:47 pm
I wish he would work as hard at governing as does at unifying and destroying Madigan.

Comment by BlueDogDem Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 8:59 pm
It will be interesting to see what the machine can do tomorrow. They have never had this kind of street money but I’m not sure if they still have the troops who know where the votes are buried and how to dig them up.

Comment by Bobio Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 9:10 pm
Where has Honeybear been.? Hibernation?

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 9:14 pm
“RAUNER COMPARES SELF TO EDGAR” isn’t even on my bingo card. What the….?

Comment by Dirty Red Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 9:15 pm
===Where has Honeybear been.? Hibernation?===

Doing the Lord’s work in the precincts, on the phone, in the Hall…

Comment by Oswego Willy Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 9:19 pm
OW. Hope so. I thought she mentioned awhile back her cover may have been blown and she was catching some grief.

Comment by Anonymous Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 9:26 pm
Sometimes, primaries can be beneficial to parties. I never understood how the Democrats can hold contested primaries, accept the results and unify afterwards and work together for the general election while Republicans detest primary fights and frequently feud afterwards.

Comment by Practical Politics Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 9:55 pm
After he wins the election, he will start governing also.

Comment by Blackhawk Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 10:14 pm
Edgar was one our worst governors. Not a good choice as a comparison.

Comment by Ron Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 10:18 pm
“Policies we can all agree on”?

I am so old, I remember when John Kass used to refer to that as The Combine.

Comment by Yellow Dog Democrat Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 10:34 pm
He never signed a budget, never proposed anything close to a balanced budget and always threw a wrench into attempts by the Democrats and the GOP to reach compromise during his first term.
Yeah, I think it would be a great idea to give him another chance.

Comment by Dude Abides Monday, Mar 19, 18 @ 10:42 pm
–I will work hard to unify us –

Three words on this: Ho. Ho. Ho.

Comment by dbk Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 2:08 am
The only way Rauner unifies the Republicans is by leaving the state…for good.

Comment by PublicServant Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 6:53 am
I didn’t vote “for” Rauner last primary, this time I couldn’t wait to vote “against” him.

Comment by Johnny on the Spot Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 6:55 am
Is there evidence that Rauner could unify a pizza order? I haven’t seen it.

Comment by Aldyth Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 7:09 am
Rauner has “unified” a whole lotta people. …Into opposing his depredations.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 7:16 am
= I will work hard to unify us afterwards and find policies we can all agree on to bring us back together. =

What does this even mean; “…find policies we can all agree on…”?

He should be looking to the urgent and critical policies that have languished because they DISagree on them, and work towards a compromise instead of spitefully vetoeing them.

Didn’t he once boast that he’s spent his entire previous career problem solving and team building? What happened to that ideal?

He’s grasping at straws and making false promises.

Comment by Happy Retiree Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 7:40 am
I think it is pretty much a given that the Illinois GOP is in shambles. He won’t be able to unify it and neither will Ives. There are just too many Republicans who loathe Rauner.

Rich - Have any moderates teased an independent run for Governor? If Ives were to pull an upset win, I wonder if moderates will hold their nose and vote for her in the general election or split some votes with a third-party candidate.

Comment by JakeCP Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 8:20 am
Rauner you will more than likely win the primary but I will be voting none of the above for Governor in November if you do.

Comment by Stand Tall Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 8:22 am
Closing line…

Ives closing number - 43.5

“All bets are in”

Cupcakes win, Appalachian State, Chaminade, UMBC…

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 8:24 am
Don’t underestimate the number of Republicans who would consider Ives views on many issues (see ‘the ad’) such that it makes the party toxic in the suburbs.

Comment by OneMan Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 8:42 am
Gov. Rauner, I knew Jim Edgar. Jim Edgar was a friend of mine. Gov. Rauner, you are no Jim Edgar.

Comment by Anonymous Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 8:49 am
Rauner comparing himself to Egdar is almost as silly as he would be comparing himself to Abe Lincoln…
I believe that there are a lot of Republicans who will vote for Ives as the first chance to get rid of Rauner, even though we expect a Democrat governor next term…

Comment by downstate commissioer Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 8:57 am
Ives will appreciate his efforts to unify the party after her victory. Every inch a gentleman. Who knew?

Comment by jimk849 Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 8:57 am
Has anyone detected enthusiasm for Rauner, anywhere?

Who would be his core of support?

Comment by wordslinger Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 9:00 am
===Who would be his core of support?===

Been asking this for a while.

If you find out, please let me know.

Comment by Oswego Willy Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 9:02 am
Edgar was known as “Governor No”
Rauner is known as “Governor, uh, what?”

Comment by Leigh John-Ella Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 9:03 am
He will work hard to unify his first wine tasting party in Italy.

Comment by Anon Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 9:15 am
I predict Rauner losing today. He will do 39.5% at most.

Comment by Real Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 9:21 am
will Edgar be laughing when he cast his ballot

Comment by Rabid Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 9:23 am
I’ve heard Italy is lovely this time of year.

Comment by Past the Rule of 85 Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 9:30 am
Put a fork in Rauner too. It’s his last race..

Comment by Mouthy Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 9:30 am
Leigh J-E: And here I thought he was “Governor You know what? I’ve been Perfectly Clear [Nervous chuckle].”

Comment by Skeptic Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 9:30 am
Speaker Madigan is enjoying both these primary races as he stays five dteps ahead of the amateurs who are dabbling in his arena.

Comment by DeseDemDose Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 9:34 am
==I will work hard to unify us afterwards and find policies we can all agree on to bring us back together. ==

How? By signing SB 1657 to appease Suburban women voters?

Comment by MG85 Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 10:01 am
As a Democrat, I am a Rauner supporter. He understands the state is on the road to destruction thanks to decades of Republican and Demoratic mismanagement based upon a kleptocracy of and for the pols and public employees.

He is a social liberal which makes it very easy for me to support him. I will vote the Democrat if Ives wins the nomination. Voted Kennedy in the primary as he seems most likely to break with the kleptocrats in charge on the Dem side.

Comment by Ron Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 10:01 am
Italy will be plus 2 in a few days.

Comment by Generic Drone Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 10:15 am
Outbid Uehlein for EmpireProft?

Comment by walker Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 10:20 am
==== I will work hard to unify us afterwards and find policies we can all agree on to bring us back together. ===

Words. Just words. In order to unify around agreed policies, you have to have trust, willingness to compromise, and an understanding of policy tradeoffs. Rauner has NEVER shown any of those traits on anything. That would require deeds. He has a %##@^*&in’ problem with that sort of thing.

Comment by Langhorne Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 10:35 am
==Who would be his core of support? ==

Diana.

Comment by JoanP Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 10:57 am
Re unite the party?
Odd
Rauner is a
social liberal
Austrian school economics
Mont Pelerin libertarian
Ask Koch
How many there are to unite
Not sure there is a lot to unite
Your “people”
Rage at your perfidy.

Comment by Honeybear Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 11:14 am
Mom in her eighties is 100% full blooded Italian with scores of relatives still in the old country. She seems to think they won’t want him and the Mrs. and will have to pick (on) another country. (lol)

Comment by Steward As Well.... Tuesday, Mar 20, 18 @ 2:17 pm